Nice, edgy article. But not necessarily practical advice. As noted in another comment, while you are in the personnel office picking up your pink slip, your corporate email account is being locked down. If you don't have your contact list on a flash drive, you are not going to be sending a departure email to anyone. And when you do, there is a lot more to the psychology of this task than simply bucking the trend of being polite and bloodless. This is actually one of the first steps in finding your next job. Hustad is correct: "just be positive" is not the answer. At everydaypsychology.com: telling them off (or not) on your way out, I have provided a more complete discussion of the "psychology" involved and how you should go about doing it. You need to leave graciously and effectively, and with a seriousness of purpose, consistent with the fact that you have just embarked on the career and job search process. pgm. everydaypsychology.com

That emails are an option---not so in the retail world---Ann Taylor is terminating assistant management positions in the Northern Va and DC areas with a "please give me your key and I"ll walk you to the door.